Total Gym XLS Men/Women Universal Total Body Training Home Gym Workout Machine with Squat Stand, Leg Pull, 2 Ankle Cuffs, and Exercise Chart

I will admit, I was put off by the price tag and did some heavy comparison to the much lower cost version by Weider. But in the end I opted for the real deal, and I'm glad I did.But first, here's a bit of background. I've never been the athletic type so I've always been on the heavy side. I knew I had to do something when I was outgrowing my cloths "yet" again (I had refused to go from a 2x to a 3x kind of guy). Over the years I've done free weights, had a walking regiment, and even did some aerobic DVD's but nothing seemed fun...so I never stuck with it. I was initially looking at getting the bowflex, but the assembly and room needed were big downers; so I started looking at the Total Gym. I read many reviews and watched youtube videos to get an idea what the hype was all about. I saw a huge variety of excersize's that looked fun and challenging, so I went for it.I've owned this machine for three weeks and can already see results. As a matter of fact, the Total Gym is addicting. I LOVE working out on this machine. My workouts range from 20-30 mins and consist of basic chest, bicep, back, squat and ab excersize's. You really can get a total body workout in less than 30 mins. By the time I'm finished with my workout, I'm panting and feeling greate. After three weeks I have tons more energy and feel a lot stronger.The machine itself comes fully assembled, and if you watch the youtube videos on setting up the total gym before it arrives, you can be ready to work out when it arrives at your front door. They do include a video on setup/take down that's worth watching, but youtube was enough for me. Setup was very easy and I was impressed with the quality of the machine. The track/slide motion is very smooth and they pulley mechanism looks to be well made.I recommend starting at levels 1 or 2 when your first get it and start working out as your body will go into muscle shock. After my first workout, I was sore the next day, but not enough to stop me from working out. Take it slow for a few weeks. The people on the commercial make it look easy, but they have been using the Total Gym for years.My wife really loves the machine too. She's just as hooked on it, and has her own workout regiment that she does every day. The Total Gym XLS was WELL worth the money and I highly recommend it. Its easy to put up, take down and use.We also have the Ab attachment, and I highly recommend this too! I do 30 crunches a day (starting slow and building up takes time) and see a BIG difference in my abs. My belly has shrunk, and my love handles are almost gone. My wife has noticed my chest is getting hard and formed, along with my biceps and triceps. This is a big confidence booster for me!While the Weider version has good reviews and may be just as good...opt for the real deal, you wont be sorry.

I just wanted to clear this up, this is the same exact package that is sold by Total Gym Direct! The only difference is that TG Direct offers the AbCrunch as a bonus, but their package is more expensive and you can purchase the Abcrunch on Amazon and still be way below the cost of purchasing the package from TG! I ordered the Abcrunch, which comes with a DVD, and the Weight Bar and still paid way below the 60% off price of TG Direct. I would say to wait until you get your TG before purchasing any attachments because I received a promo code with my TG for $20 and $30 off for accessories to use on the TotalGymCatalog dot com. This Total Gym came with 5 DVDs (workouts at every level and includes a pilates dvd), the Pilates package, wall chart, training deck and holder, wing attachment. Everything you need to workout!There is no assembly, it comes fully assembled. I do recommend watching the set up dvd so you do not hurt yourself setting this up and you fully understand how it folds and unfolds. I did my first workout yesterday and I really feel it today. This machine is as smooth as butter! It is very quiet and appears to be of good solid quality. I bought a lesser quality type machine similar to this years ago and the difference is like night and day. My boyfriend is 6'4 and has no problems working out on this machine. The bench is almost 47" long x 16" wide and most of the exercises are done with your legs either bent up and crossed or sitting on your legs or with them hanging to the sides of the bench. This machine is 90" long and even doing squats there is still plenty of room.The workouts are fun to do and don't take that much time. I was shocked how fast time went by as I was working out. That is what keeps people motivated. The workout never felt redundant. I feel fortunate to have a room dedicated to working out because it is not a small machine and I will leave it unfolded. In a small apartment this might feel like an elephant sitting in the room, but if you are willing to fold it up after each workout, it folds up very compactly.Another bonus, if you have amazon prime you receive this machine in 2 days of ordering it!!! Whereas, the TG Direct site may take 10days! I am very happy with my purchase and will update if I notice any changes with this machine.If you are looking for a less expensive Total Gym you might want to check out the Total Gym 1800 Club package. It is 399. and comes with many of the same equipment as this package. I just happen to come across it on youtube. In fact, watching the video, it looked as if it came with the AbCrunch. It is worth checking out if this package is not in your budget. Now that I have the XLS, I do not see much of a difference between the two machines except for the price and change in the bench style. There may be other differences, but it looks to be very similar and at a much lower price!Update 7/27/2012 - I have been using the TG every other day with the beginning DVD and LOVING it!! I get really excited about working out now. Using the DVD is truly like having a personal trainer and I really sweat with the workout. I am so happy that I made this purchase and would recommend to anyone at any level wanting to get in shape. It gives a great cardio and toning/strengthening workout! At first I was a little worried I wasn't going to be able to keep up, but I just kept doing the best I could and now I love it and can't wait to work out. On days that I am not on the TG, I work out on my recumbent bike and am amazed how I feel now just in this short time. Sometimes I use the TG and the Bike on the same day and am working on doing that more.